16 birthdays
by kaixmaxi
Summary: With each story set in the past, every character's birthdays are unravelled from someone else's perspective. (Oogami Banri, Takanashi Otoharu, Takanashi Tsumugi, Okazaki Rinto, Anesagi Kaoru and Yaotome Sousuke are also included, but will be posted at the end. If you'd like any other characters aside from those listed, feel free to make a request!)


Mitsuki adored his little brother, Iori.

After all, what was there to not love about him? Iori was smart, athletic, handsome, cute, modest, kind and hilariously full of weaknesses, considering he was extremely ticklish. Although the cutest thing was Iori's bashfulness - his inability to be honest. Iori had so many lovable traits that Mitsuki was certain he could write a whole essay about it. As for whether he was actually willing to write an essay, that was a different story.

Today was the 25th of January. It was an important occasion for the Izumi household that they even closed their family patissiere a few hours early to prepare for the event. Right now, Mitsuki was finishing up with their last orders until he closed fonte chocolat for the day. He was positively ecstatic about what sort of cake he should've made for today. While the person himself refused to admit it, Iori loved sweet and cute things.

Mitsuki made a rough sketch while he awaited their very last order for the day. What came to mind was a vanilla sponge cake with a tad bit of custard and a drizzle of salted caramel on top of a thin layer of tempered chocolate icing. He paused and decided to make that icing from white chocolate. He'd draw the Usamimi Friends bunny on the top with a chocolate pen, and he'd write Iori's name in cursive on a chocolate plaque.

A few minutes later, he served their last customer and closed the store. With that, he set to work immediately. He grinned, determined for this to turn out perfectly. If there was one thing he had confidence in, then it would have been his expertise in baking.

* * *

While Mitsuki stirred the cake batter, he thought about the preparations for the rest of the cake. What would he use to write Iori's name on the chocolate plaque? Did they have a white chocolate pen? He set the bowl down and placed a plate on top temporarily so air bubbles wouldn't form. He dug around until he found one. It was a little empty but it would do. He set it onto the counter and returned to the cake batter.

Mitsuki's original intention was to write Iori's name in cursive English, but maybe he'd just stylise the kanji instead. As he thought about the characters in Iori's name, he wondered why Iori had the kanji for 'one' in his name, while Mitsuki had three. Strangely enough, he began to fall into doubt as he gradually felt himself break into a cold sweat.

Was it because Iori took first place in everything he did? He excelled in academics and sports - regardless of whether it was practical or theory. At this rate, wouldn't Iori would surpass him in baking too? Iori was younger, but perhaps he was the one that deserved the position of an older sibling instead.

As that thought struck Mitsuki, the mixing bowl slipped from Mitsuki's fingers and all of the cake batter sloshed out onto the floor. His hands trembled as he reached down to clean up his mess. He was scared of Iori - scared of Iori taking everything away from him.

Iori was better at singing than he was, and he knew it for certain when he witnessed Iori practice for his upcoming music exam. When Iori was born, their parents started to call him cuter than Mitsuki. While he didn't mind, it felt like a majority of their attention was casted onto Iori, and that's what he found painful. They were brothers, so why was it that Iori was the only one that inherited all of their parents' good traits?

If it was like this, the only thing Mitsuki had going for him was his patissiere skills and his energetic personality; if he lost those, then he'd truly be left with nothing.

Maybe he was just being paranoid and overthinking things - perhaps it was because Iori was born on the first month, while Mitsuki was born on the third day of the third month. Despite that conclusion, Mitsuki couldn't shake off the terrible feeling that stirred within him.

If Iori surpassed him in everything, then what use did Mitsuki have left?

* * *

Mitsuki ended up taking a break to calm down until he resumed baking again. Today was a special day and he wouldn't ruin it due to his own feelings. Regardless of his inferiority complex, he was going to do his best for his awkward yet adorable little brother.

He did the finishing touches and placed the chocolate plaque delicately onto the icing. His decision was to enlarge the plaque and use both stylised kanji and cursive English. With that, he breathed a sigh of relief and stepped back. All he needed to do now was bring it back home and refrigerate it. He placed it in a pastry box then left for home.

On his way home, he bought an Usamimi Friends phone strap for Iori as a small birthday present. He was certain that Iori wouldn't use it since he wanted to maintain his refined, cool, composed image, but Mitsuki was sure that Iori would keep it in that certain door of his that was filled with cutesy items. Iori was very adamant about it not being opened.

Mitsuki chuckled to himself as he thought about it. He wondered if there would ever be a day where Iori would allow himself to freely express his passionate love for cutesy things. Soon enough, he arrived back home. The decorations and the table were already set up by his mother, while his father prepared Iori's favourite food for dinner.

Mitsuki stole a glance at the clock. Iori would be home soon. For now, they had to wait. With party crackers in hand, of course. This was going to be one memorable event, and it would start with them surprising Iori at the doorway.

As if on cue, the door had opened to reveal Iori. All of them saw his bewilderment at the sound of the party crackers that burst loudly when he entered, although his gaze swiftly turned to Mitsuki who hadn't yet pulled the trigger for his own party cracker.

"Mitsuki?" their mother prompted.

Mitsuki was well aware that he hadn't yet pulled his own party cracker. Instead, when Iori had entered the door, his heart began to ache and he found that he really did love his beloved little brother. His eyes stung, and he threw himself onto Iori, then ruffled his hair.

"My little brother's super adorable!" Mitsuki exclaimed.

"Nii-san! My birthday happens on an annual basis so there's no need to get this excited!" Iori reprimanded, contrary to his fidgety nature and his flushed cheeks.

Despite that, Mitsuki refused to pull away from the embrace despite Iori's embarrassed pleas. Mitsuki didn't know why, but he was crying. Was it out of love for his little brother, or were these tears filled with an apology for even thinking that Iori would let him be rendered useless? They shared a bond like no other. There was no way his family would allow him to become redundant, even if Iori surpassed him in everything.

That's why he was certain that these were definitely tears of happiness that were being shed due to the incredible amount of love he held for his little brother.

To his little brother that was first in everything, and to the same little brother that also held first place in his heart…—

"Happy birthday, Iori!"

With that, the final party cracker resounded.


End file.
